Justin Baldoni’s lawyer calls out Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool dig
Justin Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has responded to fan speculation regarding a potential jab at the actor-director in Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool & Wolverine.

During a recent appearance on Megyn Kelly's SiriusXM show, Freedman expressed his belief that the character Nicepool, introduced in the film, was indeed a dig at Baldoni.
The fan theory gained attention after a clip surfaced featuring Reynolds' Nicepool, a pseudo-feminist version of Deadpool sporting a man bun. In the clip, Nicepool makes a comment about Blake Lively’s character, Ladypool, referring to her as "gorgeous" and mentioning she "just had a baby, too." When asked about the connection, Freedman didn’t hesitate. "If your wife is sexually harassed, you don’t make fun of Justin Baldoni," he said. "There’s no question it relates to Justin. I mean, anybody that [saw] that hair bun. If somebody is seriously sexually harassed, you don’t make fun of it. It’s a serious issue.”
Freedman’s comments come in the wake of Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her to damage her reputation. Lively's allegations were first reported by The New York Times, and Baldoni has strongly denied them, filing his own lawsuit against the newspaper for libel. He claims that the evidence provided by Lively, including text and email messages, was taken out of context.
The accusations have had significant consequences for Baldoni. His agency and a former publicist have both cut ties with him. Additionally, Liz Plank, who co-hosted a podcast with Baldoni on toxic masculinity, announced her departure from the show.
The Deadpool & Wolverine scene in question showcases a playful back-and-forth between Deadpool and Nicepool, with Deadpool questioning Nicepool’s claims about being a feminist. To this, Nicepool confidently responds, "That’s okay, I identify as a feminist."
Freedman’s remarks, coupled with the ongoing legal battles, continue to fuel the controversy surrounding Baldoni.